1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a miniature multi-directional switch, and particularly to a multidirectional switch used in consumer electronic applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The personal electronic consumer productions such as cell phones are designed to comply with a miniature trend as the customers require. Correspondingly, electronic elements such as switches employed in those productions are required to be miniature.
A conventional multidirectional switch 10′ is disclosed in FIG. 4 comprises an insulative housing 1′, a first fixed contact (23′, 24′, 25′, 26′), a common contact 22′, a second fixed contact 21′, a first moveable contact 3′, a second moveable contact 5′, an operation member 6′ and a cover 7′. The first fixed contact (23′, 24′, 25′, 26′), a common contact 22′ and the second fixed contact 21′ are disposed on the bottom surface 11′ of the housing 1′. The first moveable contact 3′ is attached on the operation member 6′ and moves together which comprises a constant contacting portion and a moveable contacting portion, wherein the constant contacting portion 51′ always abuts against the common contact 22′. The second moveable contact 21′ is disposed above the second fixed contact 21′ and the common contact 22′ and comprises a center portion 31′ and a fringe portion 32′, wherein the fringe portion 32′ comes into contact with the common contact 22′. The operating portion 6′ is disposed above the second moveable contact 21′ and comprises a first pressing portion 63′ and a second pressing portion. The housing 1′ and the cover 7′ cooperatively contain the first fixed contact (23′, 24′, 25′, 26′), the second fixed contact 21′, the first moveable contact 3′, the second moveable contact 5′ and the operating member 6′ therein. When pressing the operating member 6′ perpendicularly, the second pressing portion presses the second moveable contact 5′ downwardly, which make the second moveable contact 5′ contact or separate with the second fixed contact 21′. When pressing the operating portion 6′ in a slant direction, the first pressing portion 63′ presses the moveable contacting portion 52′ of the first moveable contact 3′, which makes the moveable contacting portion 52′ contact or separate with the first fixed contact (23′, 24′, 25′, 26′). Hence, the multidirectional switch 10′ can realize the control function thereof.
However, the first moveable contact 3′ is separated with the second moveable contact 5′, which makes the manufacturing process of the multidirectional switch 10′ more complicate. In addition, the moveable contact with bigger size can lead to a bigger size of the whole multidirectional switch, which is not desired.
Hence, an improved multidirectional switch is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.